EMMY AWARD WINNING TELEVISION & FILM STAR
JON CRYER
TO STAR AS VICE PRINCIPAL DOUGLAS PANCH
IN SMASH HIT, NEW YORK REVIVAL PRODUCTION OF THE TONY-WINNING MUSICAL COMEDY SENSATION
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
(NEW YORK, NY – April 14, 2026) The producers of the newly minted 2026 Lortel Award nominated production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee are thrilled to announce that the Emmy Award-winning comedic legend Jon Cryer (“Two and a Half Men”, Pretty in Pink) will return to his theater roots and join the cast as Vice Principal Douglas Panch on May 11. Jason Kravits (The Drowsy Chaperone, Sly Fox) will play his final performance in the role on May 10, 2026, due to other professional commitments. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is playing at New World Stages (340 W 50th Street, Stage 3).
Best known for his iconic, award-winning performances in “Two and a Half Men” and Pretty in Pink, Cryer brings his singular comedic voice, impeccable timing, and endearing charm to the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch—the spelling bee’s co-moderator. Panch clings to procedure and order even as the competition around him descends into delightful chaos, with each show offering new moments of spontaneity and discovery with the cast and audience.
Cryer joins the comedic, musical theater all-star original cast members, recently nominated for a 2026 Lucille Lortel Award for Best Ensemble, including Grammy Nominee & SAG Award winner Kevin McHale (“Glee”), in his New York stage debut as William Barfée, Tony Award nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers (BOOP!) as Olive Ostrovsky, Grammy & Tony Award Nominee Justin Cooley (Kimberly Akimbo) as Leaf Coneybear, Philippe Arroyo (& Juliet) as Chip Tolentino, Autumn Best (Netflix’s Woman of the Hour; The CW’s 4400) as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Leana Rae Concepcion (Merrily We Roll Along) as Marcy Park, Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening, Tootsie, POTUS) as Rona Lisa Peretti, and Matt Manuel (Ain’t Too Proud) as Mitch Mahoney. Rounding out the cast as understudies are Brandon L. Armstrong, Jahbril Cook, DeMarius Copes, Vanessa Magula, Emily Nicole Rudolph, and Cecilia Snow.
Featuring a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin (Striking 12, Sleeping Beauty Wakes) and a vibrant score by Tony Award winner William Finn (Falsettos, A New Brain), this new production of the musical is directed & choreographed by Danny Mefford (Kimberly Akimbo, Dear Evan Hansen). Previews began on November 7, 2025, and Opening Night was celebrated on November 17, 2025. The limited engagement previously extended through April 12.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a fast-paced and funny D-E-L-I-G-H-T. As six wonderfully unique and impassioned contestants vie for the championship by spelling their way through vexing vocabulary, hilarious and poignant personal stories unfold…along with a dash of riotous audience participation. Declared by The New York Times as “the gift we desperately needed,” The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee delivers an unforgettable experience that is sure to leave audiences spellbound.
Six spellers enter, but only one can win The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! This charmingly witty and touching musical has entertained audiences across the world since its Tony–winning Broadway debut in 2005. It now returns to New York in a special 20th Anniversary production that celebrates the singular heart, humor, and verve that cemented its place in the musical theater canon.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was conceived by Rebecca Feldman with Additional Material by Jay Reiss and is based on "C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E," an original play by The Farm. First developed at Barrington Stage Company, the show debuted Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater in 2005 – earning widespread critical acclaim and winning the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding New Musical. The show immediately transferred to Broadway’s Circle in The Square Theatre, where it won two Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards, and enjoyed a hugely successful run of nearly three years.
The new production of Spelling Bee features Scenic Design by Teresa L. Williams (The Preacher’s Wife), Costume Design by Emily Rebholz (Dear Evan Hansen), Lighting Design by David Weiner (Suddenly Last Summer), and Sound Design by Haley Parcher (Spamalot). The Music Supervisor is Carmel Dean (The Notebook), and the Music Director is Elizabeth Doran (Water for Elephants). Casting is by Geoff Josselson Casting (Sweeney Todd), General Management is by 321 Theatrical Management (Wicked, The Outsiders), and the Production Stage Manager is Rachel Zucker (Pirates! The Penzance Musical).
The musical is produced by Barbara Whitman, Aaron Glick, and Timothy Bloom by special arrangement with David Stone, and co-produced by James L. Nederlander, Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Debra Martin Chase, Rachel Sussman, Patrick Catullo and Ryan Solomon.
JON CRYER (Vice Principal Douglas Panch) Although widely known for film and television such as his Emmy-winning turn on Two and a Half Men and 80’s classic Pretty in Pink, Jon Cryer started his career on Broadway in Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Trilogy. He has since gone on to appear on stage in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, the Los Angeles premiere of Howard Korder’s Boys’ Life, the New York Premiere of Jules Feiffer’s Carnal Knowledge and the London, New York, and Los Angeles productions of David Baird’s 900 Oneonta. His most recent foray was opposite Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Colbert and Patti Lupone in Stephen Sondheim’s Company at Lincoln Center.